Replace longer car journeys with public transport. With a range of weekly, monthly and annual passes available e.g. Zonecard, taking the bus or train can be a cheaper alternative to driving. Public transport will also reduce your carbon output considerably.

If you normally commute by car, why not try car sharing? This could half your fuel bill and carbon emissions.

Instead of driving to school, college or work, why not organise a group walk once a week? Being more social and active is good for the mind and the body.

Walk or cycle with your children to school instead of driving. Not only will this give you quality time together, the fresh air will help boost your child’s concentration and brain power.

Improving your health

One thing can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer by up to 50% and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%. It’s free, easy to take, has an immediate effect and you don’t need a GP to get some.

What is it called? It’s called Exercise!

The Department of Health recommends that adults should take part in 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week - that equates to just over 20 minutes of walking or cycling per day. You can introduce this into your daily routine by walking or cycling to and from the train station or bus stop, your place of work, the local shops or schools.

Introducing more active travel into your life provides an excellent basis for improving your overall health but the benefits don’t stop there. Studies consistently show that being active and using more sustainable transport options enhances physical, mental, and emotional health. People who commute by means other than a single occupancy vehicle (one person driving in a vehicle alone) demonstrate lower levels of coronary heart disease, depression, higher morale, and a lower risk of dementia.

Saving money

The most expensive form of travel is usually single occupancy car travel and when you consider the total cost of using a car, many people are looking for alternative and cheaper ways to travel.

If you own a car you will be aware of the cost of petrol, insurance tax and servicing but, when you consider other factors - the cost of a loan or vehicle depreciation - do you know how much your car is really costing you? By following the link below to the AA website find out how much it costs you to run a petrol or diesel car.

By examining the figures you can see that switching from your car to public transport could potentially save you hundreds of pounds each year. With a range of weekly, monthly and annual season tickets available, the more public transport journeys you make, the more you can save.

Walking or cycling is by far the cheapest method of travel. Even walking or cycling a couple of times a week instead of taking the car can save you a considerable amount of money over time.

Helping the environment

The third largest source of greenhouse gases in Scotland comes from road transport (excludes international aviation & shipping) and it also accounts for around a quarter of domestic carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Road transport is also a source of emissions which make air quality worse and can contribute to health problems e.g. asthma.

We may not be able to eliminate road transport altogether, but we can all try to reduce the amount of carbon emissions we produce.

We can do this by moving towards more fuel efficient forms of transport like the train or bus, cycling or walking which will further reduce the number of cars on the road. Fewer cars results in reduction in traffic congestion, air pollution and noise pollution and leads to improved journey times and cleaner, quieter and safer roads.

Benefitting the community

Greater use of sustainable transport makes your community safer by reducing the risk of vehicle and pedestrian accidents. It also increases social interaction within the community and results in much improved personal relationships and community health.

Community-based businesses - such as local shops, restaurants, bakeries and newsagents - also enjoy better support.

How Can I Change My Choice of Travel?

Look at how your journeys are made and see if some of these could be made in a more sustainable way.

Changing the way you travel doesn’t have to be too demanding or inconvenient. It doesn’t have to be a massive change and it doesn’t have to be something you do every day.

Even small changes to your daily, weekly or monthly routine can have huge benefits for you and your family. A few simple ideas are listed below just to help you get started:

Replace longer car journeys with public transport. With a range of weekly, monthly and annual passes available e.g. Zonecard, taking the bus or train can be a cheaper alternative to driving. Public transport will also reduce your carbon output considerably.

If you normally commute by car, why not try car sharing? This could half your fuel bill and carbon emissions.

Instead of driving to school, college or work, why not organise a group walk once a week? Being more social and active is good for the mind and the body.

Walk or cycle with your children to school instead of driving. Not only will this give you quality time together, the fresh air will help boost your child’s concentration and brain power.

Clyde Gateway URC is working in partnership with Glasgow City Council, South LanarkshireCouncil, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) with support from European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), to improve and promote sustainable transport in this area.